Optical Instruments (Balham) Has ceased Operation

[Sonnar Brian]

As per the Leica Users Forum, a well-known repair shop has ceased operation.

Optical Instruments (Balham)

One of our RFF members, Mark81, sent a Summicron to them for repair. It has not been returned, either repaired or in "as is" condition.

If anyone knows of the disposition of equipment left in their care, please post here.

 

[mark81]

if anyone has some lenses there :

Dear Mr Yashaev

Further to our earlier telephone conversation regarding your lens, I am informed by our agent that the company purchasing the assets, Kingsview Optical, are to carry out the cleaning of your lens as originally instructed. They have been passed your contact details and will be in touch. Their telephone number should you wish to contact them is 01797 226 202.

Kind regards

 

[Dunk]

if anyone has some lenses there :

Dear Mr Yashaev

Further to our earlier telephone conversation regarding your lens, I am informed by our agent that the company purchasing the assets, Kingsview Optical, are to carry out the cleaning of your lens as originally instructed. They have been passed your contact details and will be in touch. Their telephone number should you wish to contact them is 01797 226 202.

Kind regards

I have been wodering why I did not eceive a reply to an Email sent to the old company enquiring if they could remedy a balsam fault on a Hasselblad lens. My 50mm Summicron M front and rear lens elements were polished and coated by them last year. One of their technicians died approx 2 years ago.

dunk

 

[tlitody]

I have a lens that requires some work so phoned Kingsview today. I had been trying to contact Balham but no reply to email or phone.
Kingsview told me balham has ceased trading.
Situation is that KIngsview polish and coat lenses. They don't strip complete lenses down. They send to Camserve to do this. And they said its best to contact and send lenses to camserve who will repair and clean lens but if it needs lens polishing and/or recoating then they send elements to KIngsview to get that done.
Apparently balham have been sending lenses to Camserve to get work done who then send elements to kingsview and back again so the whole process could take an age.
I phoned Camserve also and they confirmed this so in the first instance probably best to contact Camserve who will quote for work as Kingsview only do work on elements.

 

[rulnacco]

Among his many other wondrous skills, Malcolm Taylor--the guru of Leica repair in the UK--will polish and re-coat your lenses. He will be much quicker than Optical Instruments Balham would have been--they were apparently notoriously slow; I actually visited them once to check out the place as they were located north of Croydon proper--and Malcolm's work will probably be every bit as good.